Wessington Springs herald. (Wessington Springs, Aurora County, Dakota [S.D.]) 1883-1891, 1887-11-25
utes, but receiving no recognition he walked

utes, but receiving no recognition he walked
The clergyman then passed around into the
north corridor, and from tho gallery overlooking
the scaffold took view Of that grim structure.
Then he returned and paced nervously back
ward and forward in front of the cells contain
ing the fatad four.
It was now $50 o'clock and not thirty feet
away from the coming victims the massive
iron-barred door was changing constantly, adj
uniting crowds of newspaper men and Deputy
Sheriffs. crowding the little room almost to
sutfocation and indulging in O loud buzz of con-
versation that could be henrd plainly in tho
cells. Nearly everybody in the room was smok-
ing, and, what with the fearful feeling Of de-
preston felt by the most hardened, the place
Meanwhile the Rev Mr., Bolton, who had
walked down the line of cells and received but
cold recognition from tho men inside, betook
where tho gallows stood. The reverend gem
tleman closely scanned it from the gallery and
then returned agaia and looked into the cells.
Parsons and Fischer called for writing material
and were busy writing when Mr.. Bolton re-
turned on his second visit.
DR. Gray, the Assistant County Physician,
called on the prisoners about 8 80 O'clock and
asked them iflthey required any stimulants;;
Parsons, Spies, and Fischer refused, but Engel
drank three glasses of port wine.
DIR. Gray asked if more was required and re-
ceived an answer in the negative. He, how
ever, left three more glasses Of wine beside the
still busy writing when Dr.. Grays visit was
made. and their chrography was as steady and
firm aS # they merely nasn Letter No
tremor could be detected in one Of the char
acters.
Ats:45 Deputy Sheriff Burke came out and
announced that all who had passes to witness
the hanging must now give them up. The re-
quest was complied with by the two-score re-
porters and others who were then present.
Though the execution, it was understood, would
not take place until after 10 o'clock, this an
nouncement was looked upon as pretty sig
nificant hint that the awful hour was very close
ut hand.
30 a. m. Chief Deputy Gleason arrived
with the fatal documents authorizing the exc
cution.
About o'clock a bailiff came in and told the
Sheriff that Mrs. Parsons desired admission to
see her husband but the Sheriff could not per-
NIT her to come in at that time.
Jail postmarked New York, and addressed :
"Breuthers Spies Lingg, und Comrades. Chica-
go Jail (" and one from Madison Wis, addressed
were sent to the men.
At94, O'Clock a crowd of women dressed in
deep mourning, accompanied by two children
also in black, marched down Clark street to the
ropes across Michigan street and asked the Of
icer at Michieao street to be allowed to go into
the Jail The crowd included Mrs. Parsons,
| Mrs. Engel. Mrs. Fisher, Linggs sweetheart.
Mrs. Holmes, Mrs. Spies Miss spios. and q
number of their female friends and the chill
| dren were the son and daughter OF A. X. Par
sons.
The policeman told them his orders-that
they could not advance-and they moved on to
| Illinois street. where they repeated their de-
mand to Capt. Hubbard and Lieut.. Fitzpatrick.
The same thing was told them by these officers,
and all except Mrs. Holmes and Mrs. Parsons
| moved away. Mrs. Holmes denounced the
| execution as murder and the policemen as
murderers Mrs. Parsons continued to beseech
and demand admission and the police contin-
| ued obdurate. At 10 o'clock she was still on
hand, but under the closest surveillance:
Crowds were not allowed to stand. Throngs